2024 and More

 Happy New Year Readers!

It has been a while I know and that is because life has been lifeing. I have had so many changes and challenges while still trying to keep the faith that  Daddy says that it will all work together for my good and will bring him glory. But where is the glory in disappointment and delays? OOOO.... that just hit me like a ton of bricks.  I am sure I am not the only one who has asked that question at least once in their life. However, we are in a new year and you know the saying "new year, new me"! I don't always agree with that, because there are some things from the previous year that I probably still need to work on in this new year. With that being said I am inviting you to come on a 21-day journey with me as I fast from personal things. I am doing something new and including a video with the blog. GOD is really creating this fast as I work on developing it. The fast will start January 22-February 12, 2024. I know you asking now Shawndrika what's different about this fast, versus the one that I am doing with my church or small group. Well, this fast is personal. 

Let me explain, I have fasted on numerous occasions with my church, friends, and small group. Though it yielded some great fruit, it had me hyper-focused on dos and don'ts versus the GOD will and have your way. Let me be honest it didn't feel personal. It didn't feel like what I was giving up was a sacrifice that could move the heart of GOD to see how committed I was to making room for Him in the area(s) I didn't trust him with. Yes, the Daniel fast is great, but because it's one of the popular fasts it starts to feel like a cliche that we do as a church at the beginning of the year. Translation it is a routine to add to the many routines we already have. This fast creates a level of accountability and self-examination. It dives into a space of personal sacrifice on an individual level versus that of a collective, while still creating discipline, community, and consistency. This fast will make you evaluate how you trust and see GOD in this present moment and cause you to start your own record book with HIM. Listen, I am getting excited thinking about it. I am in a place where I have to take GOD out of my comfortable box of how I know Him and expand how He wants me to know Him. In other words, I can't keep limiting my intimacy because I fear the process that comes with it. So if you are curious about this fast join me on the 22nd and see if this is for you. If not that's cool. However, I challenge you to check how you box GOD. Does your relationship with Daddy cause others to be curious about how to get to know Him? 

Prayer: Daddy, we thank you for this new year. Help us not to box you to our comfort level, allow us to meet you where you desire us to see you. Let us never become comfortable with our level of intimacy with you. Help us desire more of you in a world that is forever changing. In Jesus Name, AMEN

Have I settled in My More?

As I was reading my friend's Latoya Tolbert's blog on wordpress (got check it out: latoyatolbert.wordpress.com)  I got a revelation... I really do want more. As I reflect on all the events that happen in the US I am convince and convicted of three things. As Christian we have become wavier in our faith as a representative of Christ. We have lost the aspect of GOD's love towards the people of this world. As I hear the nation glorify the actions that are clearly against GOD's will my heart weeps. I want to be in a place not of judgement, but of love. I want my reaction towards their actions to be of love and I want this desperately for the kingdom as well. I want to see the miracles of GOD manifest right before my eyes, and not be shaken by the things that I can't control or even the weapons formed against me. I want the more. I want more of his presence, I want more of his love, more of his power, I want more of his word, wisdom, and understanding of my position as daughter. I want more. And can I declare there is more. There is more to GOD and today with a heart of vulnerability, I am convince I can't settle I can't compromise, and I can't allow anything to stop me from getting to the MORE. I want to encourage someone that feels like they don't know how to get to more, or even those that feel that they are at more, but feel like the more they obtain has left or they don't know how they achieve it... There is more and there is no need to settle without pursing the more. As I have grown in my intimate relationship with GOD I  realize that the more I experienced at 16 is not the more I am experiencing at 30 something. I realize that 16 I was getting to know my identity in GOD at 30 I know my identity I am just trying to tap into the power, privilege, purpose, and potential of my identity. So today know there is more and don't settle for the more you have keep asking for more and more and more.

Prayer: Daddy thank you that in you there is always more. More love, more power, more purpose, more protection, more provision, more wisdom, more of what we need and all that we need. Today we give you a more praise. Not for what you can and have done for us, but a more praise to tell you thank for the more. Thank you for the more we didn't even ask for, for the more grace, the more mercy, thank you for the more of your presence, your face, your time with us. Thank you for the more of our healing, the more of your restoring, the more of your rebuilding, the more of your reviving. Daddy today we give you more. More of us, more of our life, more of our time, more of our heart, more of our love, more of worship, and more of our praise. We thank you that today we declare we will never settle for any more levels of what we think more is to us. We will pursue more of you until you come back for us or we leave this earth. In JESUS name! AMEN!